Guitar Neck String Nut Options

Precut & Installed Traditional Nuts

The string nut dictates both the spacing of the strings and their height above the frets, and must be cut to the specific dimensions of the neck it will be used on. We have built a system for precision cutting and shaping, done by a bench-top CNC mill. The result is a nearly perfect nut, compensated for fret height, nut width, string spacing, and fretboard radius.

Installed nuts must be ordered at the same time as the neck to ensure compatibility. Available in the following materials:

Corian
A hard synthetic material, available in black or white. - $25.00

Graph Tech TUSQ XL
An ivory-like material 500% slipperier than graphite, great for use with tremolos. Available in black or white. - $30.00

Precut & Installed Earvana Nuts

On a traditional guitar, intonation discrepancies will always cause certain chords to be slightly out of tune. Earvana's patented nut technology solves this issue by compensating each string individually for better intonation. Earvana nuts work with standard frets, bridges, and tuners. The guitar is played the same, but sounds more in tune. Warmoth cuts these nuts to Earvana's specs on a bench-top CNC mill, adjusting for the fret height, nut width, string spacing, and fretboard radius of each individual neck.

Please Note: Installation of the Earvana nut requires widening the nut slot from 1/8" (3mm) to 1/4" (6mm). This makes switching back to a traditional nut challenging, so be certain you like the Earvana nut before having a neck set-up for it.

This option is available on straight-neck guitars only; it is not available on tiltback guitars or any basses.

Installed nuts must be ordered at the same time as the neck to ensure compatibility. Available in the following materials:

Corian
A hard synthetic material, available in black or white. - $65.00

Graph Tech TUSQ XL
An ivory-like material 500% slipperier than graphite, great for use with tremolos. Available in black or white. - $69.00

Floyd Rose Locking Nut Prep

Straight Neck Prep

Tiltback Neck Prep

Rear View

The Floyd Rose locking nut secures the strings within the nut, and when used in conjunction with a Floyd Rose bridge offers the ultimate in tuning stability in a tremolo system. These nuts feature a 10" radius. Ideally, the fretboard radius should also be 10", but we have found they will work fine on any neck radius between 9" and 12".

Please Note: There are many Floyd Rose-licensed locking nuts available. Though they may look similar, they do not all share the same dimensions or radius. Warmoth's Floyd Rose Locking Nut Prep is designed to work with the Official Floyd Rose nuts made by Schaller ONLY. These nuts are included with both the Original and the Schaller Floyd Systems, and are also sold separately in our Hardware section.

Nut Width Identification

To properly prepare a shelf for a Floyd Rose nut, we must know its size number. This number is cast into the bottom of the nut, and begins with "R" on right-handed nuts, or "L" on left-handed nuts. These numbers correspond with nut widths, as shown below:

Right Hand

R2 = 1-5/8" Nut-Width

R3 = 1-11/16" Nut-Width (Narrow Spacing)

R4 = 1-11/16" Nut-Width (Wide Spacing)

R5 = 1-3/4" Nut-Width

Left Hand

L2 = 1-5/8" Nut-Width

L3 = 1-11/16" Nut-Width (Narrow Spacing)

L4 = 1-11/16" Nut-Width (Wide Spacing)

L5 = 1-3/4" Nut-Width

Please Note: Sizes R3 and R4, and L3 and L4 are all for use on necks with a 1-11/16" nut width. What differentiates them is their string spacing. Size 3 nuts use a narrow spacing similar to that of a 1-5/8" nut width, and work well any time a player wishes for a little more margin on the edges of the fretboard, as on necks with binding. Size 4 nuts offer a slightly wider string spacing that feels more natural to some players.

The Floyd Rose Nut Prep option is available on Warmoth Modern Construction necks only:

Straight Neck Prep - $45.00

Tiltback Neck Prep - $55.00

LSR Roller Nut Prep

This ingenious nut uses ball bearings to ease string movement across the nut. When used
in conjunction with locking tuning machines and moderate tremolo action, tuning issues are significantly reduced when compared to more conventional set-ups. The LSR Roller Nut is available in our Hardware section.

The LSR nut is available on right-handed necks only. It is available for a 1-11/16" nut width only. It can be used with any straight fretboard radius between 9" to 11", or the Warmoth Compound Radius.

Maximum string guage per slot:

1st string - .024"

2nd string - .028"

3rd string - .034"

4th string - .039"

5th string - .048"

6th string - .059"

Please Note: Installation of the LSR nut requires widening the nut slot towards the first fret to 7/32". This makes switching back to a traditional nut challenging, so be certain you like the LSR nut before having a neck set-up for it.

This option is available on straight-neck guitars only; it is not available on tiltback guitars or any basses.

Straight Neck Prep - $45.00

Precut & Installed 12-String Nuts

Drones above

Drones below

12-string nuts can be cut with the drones above or drones below. Most 12-string guitars are strung with the higher octave string on top (drones above) so it is struck first when strummed. Rickenbacker reverses this for their 12-strings and places the higher octave string below (drones below).

Installed nuts must be ordered at the same time as the neck to ensure compatibility. Available in the following materials:

Corian
A hard synthetic material, available in black or white. - $25.00

Guitar Nut Blanks

Cutting a nut correctly is one of the most challenging and important parts of luthiery. There is no such thing as "plug-and-play" when it comes to nuts. Each one must be cut according to the dimensions and requirements of the specific neck it is to be used on. This requires skill and the correct tools. If you desire to cut your own nut, Warmoth offers nut blanks in the materials listed below. Nut slot files are available in our Supplies section.

Materials

Characteristics/Applications

Sound

Workability

Bone

Hard material with a vintage look, must be cut cleanly to keep strings from binding in slots.

Bright and clear, with a detailed sound.

Hard, dense material. Bad-smelling dust.

Brass

Hard material polishes well and looks good with gold hardware. Great sustain for bass and slide guitar playing.

Bright with very good sustain.

Slow-working, dust can clog files, gets hot when power-sanded.

Nickel

Made of the same material as our fretwire (18% hard nickel/silver) so it matches sound and look of frets. Polishes well.

Very bright with excellent articulation and sustain.

Very slow working, gets hot when power-sanded.

Graph Tech TUSQ XL

TUSQ XL is a ivory-like material that is Teflon impregnated. Teflon is 500% slipperier than graphite. This is great for use on electric guitars that get tremolo use or have tuning stability issues. It is also great for someone who bends notes often.

Well balanced tone with a bit more warmth.

Easy to cut, less shaping required with pre-molded blanks.

Corian

Hard synthetic material takes a fine finish and is available in large oversized blanks.